Boys Basketball: Mix is right Plainfield East

Updated: December 8, 2011 6:43PM

Most people don’t even realize there is a Plainfield East High School. It’s only been open since 2008, but the Bengals’ boys basketball team has already vaulted into the Sun-Times Super 25 rankings, with wins over St. Charles North, Downers Grove South, Schaumburg, Oswego and T.F. North.

So who are these guys?

They’ve got the two main ingredients any high school hoops teams needs for success. A point guard and a big man.

Brian Bennett, a 6-9 senior, is the big man. He’s signed with Cal-Poly State. Bennett had 13 points and 11 rebounds against Schaumburg in the championship game of the St. Charles East Thanksgiving Tournament.

“I lost 50 pounds from the end of last season,” Bennett said. “I was in the weight room a lot. It helps the team to be in better shape, I stay in the game longer.”

Dee Brown is the point guard. Brown, a 5-11 senior, is averaging 14 points and 3 steals per game while shooting 89 percent from the free-throw line.

Mack Brown, Myles Walters, DesNique Harris and Jawan Straughter all return from last year’s team, which fnished 15-13.

“We’re really excited with where we are at,” Plainfield East coach Branden Adkins said. “This is the first time we’ve gotten any press. We got ranked for the first time ever. They’re excited for themselves because it’s something they’ve achieved, but they know it doesn’t matter until the end of the season.” Michael O’Brien & Tim Tierney

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